Those who seek adventure do NOT find themselves in the small and sensible village of Wicken. They do NOT follow the barely used trail which winds through the nearby woods. They do NOT enter the Priory of Saint Alman at the end of such trail. And they especially do NOT ask the eccentric but kindly Father Gromwell to take them on as a disciple.
If you were looking for adventure, you obviously made all the wrong choices, because you DID do all of the above. Maybe it wasn't your fault, maybe your parents sent you here to keep you out of trouble, or maybe you're even hiding from something. No matter the reason, your life now consists of an endless cycle of morning prayers, simple breakfasts, afternoon lessons, evening chores, and late dinners. At least the only threat is monotony.
Or is it? Recently, the surrounding forest has become suspiciously quiet and strange lights have appeared between the trees at night. What's worse, as the winter picks up a storm seems to be brewing, and a bad one at that. Although scores of worshipers handily managed the priory in years past, the few of you here now can barely keep the place from falling into dilapidation. Father Gromwell refuses to worry as he loses himself in his favorite obsession - creating hauntingly beautiful paintings of angels leading men to paradise...
What this is: A brief foray into gothic horror and paranoia. I'm running a modified version of the short adventure Retribution by Creighton Broadhurst. It won't last much longer than a level, but it'll be jam-packed with opportunities for roleplaying. If all goes well, I might even consider continuing the game for those who so desire.
Who I am: I love to write for fun but I also hate writing for fun. In real life, I've GM'd one session of Pathfinder, one session of CoC, and one session of Starfinder. I started an online campaign long ago and it crashed and burned, so I'm starting up again with something short, sweet, and psychologically painful.
What I want: You will play the other (4-6) members of the faithful (or perhaps even unfaithful) at the Priory of Saint Alman.
- 1st level, max HP, 20 point buy, 100 gold, background skills, 2 traits (1 campaign).
- Core Races would be most realistic in such a small town setting, but I will allow Uncommon Races as well.
- Any class might find some reason to end up at the Priory, but those religiously inclined should worship Mother Grace, below.
- Alignment does not exist in this game - only your actions.
Alman Preacher: You spent many hours in the Priory of St. Alman, absorbing Father Gromwell’s religious stories that filled your head and heart with dreams of Heaven and Paradise. You gain a +2 bonus on Knowledge (religion) and Perform (oratory) checks, and both are class skills for you.
Ciderwright: Wicken’s copious crop of apples always appeared in late summer or early autumn, and you became an expert at climbing the orchards to retrieve the choicest fruit. Working under the guidance of the local brewer, Tully Redmane, you also mastered the art of cider-making. You gain a +2 bonus on Climb and Profession (brewer) checks, and both are class skills for you.
Grog’s Snarer: You spent many hours with Wild Grog, Wicken’s local poacher, learning how to set snares and trap game. Game was plentiful in Wicken, the foul air of the city unable to grasp at its forest and meadows. You gain a +2 bonus on Craft (traps) and Stealth checks and both are class skills for you.
Grog’s Spotter: Your keen eyes aided Wild Grog, Wicken’s local poacher, especially at night when hunting rabbits. Grog was a great story teller, and you spent happy hours listening to his stories of heroism and dragons. You gain a +2 bonus on Perception and Perform (oratory) checks, and both are class skills for you.
Grog’s Trapper: You spent a lot of time with Wild Grog, Wicken’s local poacher, who tracked with dogs and his pet pig, Olive. You have happy memories of the wild-haired giant of a man, laughing as he bagged rabbits and told wild stories of adventure at the campfire. You gain a +2 bonus on Survival and Profession (trapper) checks, and both are class skills for you.
Wicken Farmer: You grew up and worked on a farm in Wicken. The land was fertile, the water clean, and the harvests were invariably good. Your farm thrived and, in time, became yours. You gain a +2 bonus on Handle Animal and Profession (farmer) checks, and both are class skills for you.
Wicken Shepherd: Your family farmed sheep on the hills above Wicken. Life could be tough, especially in the winters, but it was rewarding. You gain a +2 bonus on Handle Animal and Survival checks, and both of these skills are class skills for you.
Alignment: Lawful Good
Domains: Community, Law, Nobility, Repose
Symbol: A mother holding a child and a distaff
Garb: Black robes trimmed in silver with red collar and accents, silver and red mitre and ceremonial distaff
Favored Weapon: Light mace
Form of Worship and Holidays: Minor services in the form of multiple times for prayer or meditation are daily in cathedrals and churches throughout the city with longer, formal services held every Sunday (all-day affairs) and Wodesday (evening services). The High Holy Days are all considered sacred to Mother Grace and hold services accordingly, and seemingly every other day in the calendar is designated as a feast day for one or more of her saints.
Note: Mother Grace's faithful can be divided into three, hugely different sects. Father Gromwell currently follows and teaches the Beatific Quest. Although you find it hard to believe, you've heard he was once a member of the Rule of Order and an especially unforgiving disciplinarian at that.
The Beatific Quest: This aspect of the worship of Mother Grace is lawful good in alignment. It follows her teaching that knowledge is all, that mistakes of history cannot be repeated with proper study and prudent thought, and that only through awakening the desire to know will the world be pure and advance.
The Rule of Order: Lawful neutral in alignment, the Rule of Order focuses on the words of the Mother of All when teaching infants and the ignorant — that fairness is only good when firmness is behind it, a clenched fist in a velvet glove. Order and discipline are paramount. This aspect of the Mother’s worship is the most rigid; it follows set laws and ranks and patterns of worship established centuries ago and still clung to with dogged attention to detail. It is as inclined to use the weapons of the wicked to destroy them and preaches that the only thing that truly matters in a chaotic world is the preservation of the status quo.
The Fair Fist: Of lawful evil, this sect preaches that only order can bring the world out of the darkness of anarchy, and only those who worship the Mother Grace are the truly enlightened capable of bringing about this order. This aspect of the goddess focuses entirely upon scare mongering of the teachings of the Holy Mother — that unless properly educated as to the dangers of the present age, the world will fall into absolute chaos. Missionaries, bigots, and fear-mongers, the Fair Fist (one of this sect’s many names) believes in worshiping Mother Grace and nothing else (all other religions being blasphemous) and historically is the group behind most of the Mother’s crusading activities. They wish only to extend order in the Mother’s name (whether the world wishes it or not).
Is this Golarion?
A priory surrounded by supernatural woods is exactly the sort of thing I'm interested. As is good creative writing and a fairly short campaign.
Interesting. I'll see if I can come up with something good. Have you decided how long you are going to leave recruitment open?
Dotting for interest, would you be open to Spheres of Might/Power?
I wrote a character (unchained rogue) for this.
F Human unchained rogue
Medium humanoid (human)
Init +4; Senses Perception +5
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Defense
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AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 13
hp 10 (1d8+2)
Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +1
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee rapier +4 1d6+4/18-20
Ranged shortbow +4 1d6/x3
Special Attacks sneak attack 1d6
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Statistics
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Str 7, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 14
Base Atk +0; CMB -2; CMD 12
Feats ???
Traits Fast Talker, Ciderwright
Languages Common, Elf
SQ trapfinding, finesse training
Other Gear studded leather, 20 arrows, 24 gp
Skills
Appraise (bs) +5 (+1 rank, +3 cc)
Climb +2 (+1 rank, +3 cc)
Bluff +7 (+1 rank, +3 cc, +1 trait)
Diplomacy +6 (+1 rank, +3 cc)
Disable Device +8 (+1 rank, +3 cc)
Disguise +6 (+1 rank, +3 cc)
Intimidate +6 (+1 rank, +3 cc)
Knowledge (local) +5 (+1 rank, +3 cc)
Perception +5 (+1 rank, +3 cc)
Profession (brewer) +3 (+2 trait)
Sense Motive +5 (+1 rank, +3 cc)
Sleight of Hand (bs) +8 (+1 rank, +3 cc)
Stealth +8 (+1 rank, +3 cc)
Special Abilities
Sneak Attack
Trapfinding
Finesse Training
Mrs. Purity Allswell has lived in Wicken for seventy years, and prides herself on her impeccable reputation. Her reputation prevents her from ever being accused of wrongdoing - and so she is never suspected of pick-pocketing or dishonesty when she engages in such things. On the rare case that someone does catch her, she always manages to attribute it to forgetfulness or some other excuse, and it's soon forgotten.
However, reputation is not earned for free, and she relies on her activities with the community. To bolster her reputation once again, she decided to become a disciple of Father Gromwell. And, though old habits die hard, she is considering giving up her old ways and taking up the black robes of Mother Grace...
If there's no alignment, why do Mother Grace and her sects each have alignments?
Also, could my character save the bonus human feat until level 2 (there aren't a lot of great options at this level)? Is the campaign supposed to go much farther than level 1 at all?
Is this Golarion?
This is not Golarion, but rather, the Isle of Lymossus, the setting which contains the City-State of Castorhage (The Blight). This will not be a Blight game however, and I don't want characters from the city. The rest of the island is a series of smaller settlements and hinterland villages loosely organized into seven shires. I didn't want to heap on a bunch of setting detail for a short game, but if anyone wants more info I can provide it.
Have you decided how long you are going to leave recruitment open?
I'm not entirely sure yet, but the current plan is in a week/week-and-a-half.
Dotting for interest, would you be open to Spheres of Might/Power?
While I've heard nothing but good things about it, I'm just not familiar enough with it.
If there's no alignment, why do Mother Grace and her sects each have alignments?
Copy and paste error.
Also, could my character save the bonus human feat until level 2 (there aren't a lot of great options at this level)? Is the campaign supposed to go much farther than level 1 at all?
Don't bother. If we do get to 2nd level it'll be at the tail end of the adventure.
Actually nevermind, no hard feelings, no reason.
Bye.
Too bad. Thanks for letting us know.
So sorry everyone, I had a major depressive episode last night when I left that last message.
Please disregard it as I am committed to seeing this through. The game is not cancelled, recruitment is still happening.
Cool. I started making a character who came to the priory to study painting with Father Gromwell. Would that work?
That would work great!
I'm doing a sorcerer. Looks like we have a rogue as well. Anyone else have ideas of what they are playing?
I should have my character up by Friday night latest (trying, but have limited time to work on one during the workweek).
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Str (17) Dex (14) Con (14) Int (10) Wis (16) Cha (6) HP (12) Saves (+4/+4/+3) AC (18/16/15) CMB (+6) CMD (18)
Combat
* To HIt: +4
* Damage: 1d10+4 (19-20 crit)
Race Oni Spawn Tiefling
* Darkvision
* Stats (+2 Str, +2 Wis, -2 Cha)
* Fiendish Resistance (Cold resistance 5, electricity resistance 5, and fire resistance 5.)
* Pass for Human (Discrimination against tieflings with horrifically fiendish features is so intense that even tieflings look up to those precious few of their kind who can pass as human. These tieflings have otherworldly features that are so subtle, they aren’t often noticed unless the tiefling points them out (for example, eyes that flash red in the throes of passion, or fingernails that are naturally hard and pointed). Such a tiefling doesn’t need to succeed at a Disguise check to appear to be human and count as humanoid (human) as well as outsider (native) for all purposes (such as humanoid-affecting spells like charm person or enlarge person). The tiefling does not automatically gain his associated outsider language (but may select it as a bonus language if his Intelligence score is high enough), and he may not select other racial traits that would grant him obviously fiendish features (such as the fiendish sprinter, maw or claw, prehensile tail, scaled skin, or vestigial wings alternate racial traits). This ability alters the tiefling’s type, subtype, and languages.)
* Soul Seer (Rare tieflings have a peculiar sight that allows them to see the state of a creature’s soul. They can use deathwatch at will as spell-like ability. This racial trait replaces the spell-like ability and fiendish sorcery racial traits.)
* Beguiling Liar (+4 Bluff)
Traits
* Emphatic Diplomat (You have long followed the path of common sense and empathic insight when using diplomacy. You modify your Diplomacy checks using your Wisdom modifier, not your Charisma modifier.)
* Alman Preacher: (You spent many hours in the Priory of St. Alman, absorbing Father Gromwell’s religious stories that filled your head and heart with dreams of Heaven and Paradise. You gain a +2 bonus on Knowledge (religion) and Perform (oratory) checks, and both are class skills for you.)
Equipment
* Monk Kit (With masterwork backpack, a belt pouch, a blanket, rope, soap, torches (10), trail rations (5 days), and a waterskin.)
* Cold Iron Sansetsukon (two handed, 1d10, 19-20 crit, blocking, disarm, monk)
* 28 gold
Class Unchained Perfect Scholar Monk of the Mantis
Lvl 1: Flurry of Blows (At 1st level, a monk can make a flurry of blows as a full-attack action. When making a flurry of blows, the monk can make one additional attack at his highest base attack bonus. This additional attack stacks with the bonus attacks from haste and other similar effects. When using this ability, the monk can make these attacks with any combination of his unarmed strikes and weapons that have the monk special weapon quality. He takes no penalty for using multiple weapons when making a flurry of blows, but he does not gain any additional attacks beyond what’s already granted by the flurry for doing so. (He can still gain additional attacks from a high base attack bonus, from this ability, and from haste and similar effects).)
Feats
Lvl 1: Armor of the Pit (+2 natural armor AC)
Lvl 1 Monk: Dodge (+1 dodge AC)
Lvl 1 Monk: Improved Unarmed Strike (1d6)
Lvl 1 Monk: Stunning Fist (Once per day for each monk level. You must declare that you are using this feat before you make your attack roll (thus, a failed attack roll ruins the attempt). Stunning Fist forces a foe damaged by your unarmed attack to make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Wis modifier), in addition to dealing damage normally. A defender who fails this saving throw is stunned for 1 round (until just before your next turn). A stunned character drops everything held, can’t take actions, loses any Dexterity bonus to AC, and takes a –2 penalty to AC. )
Religious Skills
* Perception: 1 skill point (+7)
* Knowledge Religion: 1 skill point (+6)
* Background Skill-Perform Oratory: 1 skill point (+4)
* Background Skill-Knowledge History: 1 skill point (+4)
Face Skills
* Sense Motive: 1 skill point (+4)
* Diplomacy: 0 skill points (+3)
* Bluff: 0 skill points (+2)
* Intimidate: 1 skill point (+2)
Feat Plan
Lvl 2 Monk: Throw Anything
Lvl 3: Power Attack
Lvl 5: Extra Traits (Ease of Faith and Fiend Blood, +1 diplomacy/bluff and both class skills)
Lvl 6 Monk: Improved Disarm
Lvl 7: Furious Focus
Lvl 9: Expanded Fiendish Resistance (Acid Resistance 5)
Lvl 10 Monk: Medusa's Wrath
Lvl 11: Dilettante (+2 to all knowledge skills)
Stat Plan
Lvl 4: +1 Str (18)
Lvl 8: +1 Wis (17)
Lvl 12: +1 Wis (18)
Appearance
Gaelden looks like a nearly six foot tall, completely bald, male. He has piercing blue eyes and a countenance that always looks too serious. Most find it unnerving, as it feels like he is looking directly into one's soul.
Background
Oni are a race of evil spirits, native to the Material Plane, that manifest physical bodies based upon the shapes and desires of humanoid mortals. In pure spirit form, an oni is nothing but a disembodied evil longing for the sins of the flesh. In this form, oni are harmless and invisible. The majority of these bodiless oni were once kami who failed their wards, or more often, who deliberately abandoned them. As punishment, they were stripped of their ability to form a physical body and then cast into the void.
Gaelden's father, Choval Serova, was a failing merchant. He made far too little to ever make his trips from the small village of Wicken worthwhile, and he not the capital to move into any more lucrative markets. Finally, in despair, he spent what little money he had left on a lamp. The mage who sold it to him claimed that within it was bound an Oni, a spirit that longed for nothing more than its freedom. Choval took the lamp, and summoned the spirit within, offering it freedom in exchange for wealth and power. The spirit within readily agreed, failing to tell Choval that what it needed was a host. Specifically, Choval's first born.
Years passed. Choval's business thrived. He left behind the small village of Wicker, married, and eventually, forgot about the pact that he had made. This was, of course, until Gaelden was born. When his mother died in childbirth, Choval had thought it to just be a tragedy. That is, until he looked into his son's eyes. And saw that rather than having that of his, or his mother's, they were the same as the spirit that he had bartered with long ago.
Consumed with guilt and regret, Choval spent all that he had, taking the child to every mage and priest he could find. And throughout it, he was tormented by the spirit, which haunted his dreams and filled his waking hours with dread. Where once it had aided him, now it worked against him. The combination of its' power and his crippling depression meant that Choval's businesses failed one after another. By the time he found an exorcist who could save his son, Choval was a ruin of a man.
The last thing that he did, before he took his life, was take his son back to the town in which he grew up, and gave him to Father Gromwell.
Gaelden has grown up in the priory, only barely aware of who his parents were. While the spirit within him was banished, it still left it's mark on him. Most noticeably are his eyes, which can see the soul of a man (though his sight cannot judge them) and which can see in the dead of night. He is also tall, and strong in body. And more than just physically. His skin is far harder than it looks, and he feels not the bite of the chill wind or the flame. But most importantly, his soul has been marked. And only through great care, devotion, and prayer, has he turned away from the natural path of evil that he was born into.
For his entire life he has lived in the priory, learning the ways of Mother Mercy, while training his body and mind. With his foster father aging, he thought that it would be his destiny to also grow old and die within the priory, in the service of Mother Mercy. Because who would ever believe that adventure would come to the humble priory?
There we go. An unchained perfect scholar monk of the mantis. Will eventually have half-way decent knowledge skills, sneak attack damage, and fairly decent AC. The best I could come up with using a 20 point buy.
Okay, here is Zanbabe's submission. Sorry it took so long.
Let me know if you want tweaks--happy to change things up to fit the story, if my background doesn't work.
Is this adventure still going to be happening?
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When does recruitment on this close?
I see a monk, a rogue, and a sorcerer so far. I tend to prefer arcane casters, but this seems like an interesting opportunity to try a non-vanilla divine caster (i.e., non cleric).
- An inquisitor who's a bit over-zealous and not afraid to throw his or her weight around when it comes to getting others to agree to the faith and rooting out defectors. You're pretty enthusiastic about Fr. Gromwell's sermons to a fault. There must be some reason you tow the line so strongly... perhaps cleansing yourself just as much as others for some dark past secret... (Alman Preacher)
- A nearly-blind Oracle who see's visions and renders paintings of them despite his or her sight ailment (Alman Artist). Father Gromwell would like to find just the right meaning in your paintings to aid his sermons, but lately they've been taking a turn that doesn't fit the style of preaching that calms a simple, rural community.
- A halfling alchemist who expanded on his time at the local brewery, become fascinated in using the equipment after hours to explore curiosities about what he or she could make mixtures do. You worked the orchards for extra cash and had a really good friend who you competed with in climbing the trees and harvesting apples. (Ciderwright).
- A ranger who spends his or off-hours foiling Grog and his traps, ushering various woodland creatures to safety. Lately you've been distracted by the sudden stillness in the forest, and taken to tracking sightings of the mysterious lights. (Wicken Farmer or Shepard, (Anti-?) Grog's snarer, spotter, trapper)
If this is still happening I can choose (or take suggestions on) one of these and write up the details over the next day or two.
